Electrical socket



R. B. RoNl-:Y Erm.

ELECTRICAL SOCKET Filed Aug. 22, 1957 July 1 2, 1960 lver, City, Calif., assignors to .Day-Ray `Products Inc., .South Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California 'Filed Aug.22,1957, Ser. No.6795616 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-450) This invention relates to an Ielectrical Jsocket lfor supporting and connecting electrical equipment.

In mounting electrical equipment, electrical sockets readily perform the functions of supporting an-d vconnecting to electrical circuits. One of the more common electrical sockets is that used for iluorescent lighting iixtures in which Va light tube in the form of an elongated glass :envelope is supported by electrical sockets on both ends. VThese sockets include slots for receiving terminal prongs projecting from the ends or the iluorescent tube. By inserting the prongs in J slots in the sockets and rotating Athe tubethe tube is fastened and connected electrically fin the fixture.

In many instances a lighting fixture isjrnounted on a support subject to vibration causing the vlight tube to move relative to the fixture. In airplanes, for example, such tubes tend to vibrate free of the confining J slots. Also, space .limitations Vfor the fixture may `prevent easy access .-to the lighting tube or sockets for insertion or replacement of the tube. These conditions and other electrical requirements exclude the use of the socket arrangements such as the common socket :arrangement described above.

These difficulties are overcome in the present invention by an electrical lsocket including a `socket body of insulating material vdefining an .open chamber or compart- .ment for receiving the terminal portion of the electrical apparatus or lighting tube. A movable arm forms a portion of the side wall and the periphery of said opening to permit lateral or transverse insertion of the terminal portion of the electrical apparatus through the space normally occupied by the movable arm. Suitable means are provided to secure the movable arm for retaining the terminal portion of the apparatus in position in the socket chamber.

In accordance With a preferred embodiment of the invention, an electrical socket supports and connects a light tube having a pair of adjacent terminals on each end of the tube. The movable arm forms a portion of the body -side Wall and the periphery of the socket chamber opening and is separable from the remainder of the socket body. The side walls adjacent the movable arm are bifurcated to form opposed recesses in the body side wall for receiving the tapered ends of the movable arm. Resilient detent means are mounted in the socket body projecting into one recess and outside the socket body and hinging means are mounted in the body on lateralv sides of the other recess whereby the arm may be pivoted to open the side wall of the chamber for lateral insertion of the terminal end portion of the light tube. Positioning the arm and securing the end of the arm by the detent means supports and positions the terminal end portion of the light tube in the socket.

The invention is explained with reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the electrical socket shown in Fig. 1.

nited States Patent ice Referring to the drawings for a detailed vdescription of the preferred embodiment or Vthe invention, an 'cleo `ftr'i'cal socket 10 is shown including a body portion 12 Idefining an open chamber 14 4for receiving the terminal end portion 116 of an elongated electrical light tube '18.` A pair Vof wiping `contacts 20 and 22 of resilient vconductive material are disposed in the end and side walls of the chamber 14 for `engaging the terminals 24 and '26 in the end of the light tube 1S. v

The light tube 18 includes a glass enclosure 28 terminating at both ends in a terminal end portion 16. The terminal 'end portion 16 comprises aconductive cap terminal 24 engaging the `wiping contact 22 and contact terminal 26 in the transverse end ,portion of the cap 24 for engaging the wiping contact 20. The light vtube termi nals 24 vand 26 are vseparated by an insulating ring 30 surrounding the terminal 26.

Since the electrical sockets are normally provided in pairs, one for each end of the light .tube 18, the sockets vare disposed in predetermined spaced relationship to locate the sockets at the ends of the light tube 18.

A movable arm 32 forms a portion of the side Wall of the socket body to permit lateral entry of the light tube terminal portion 1'6 into the socket chamber 14. The bifurcated portions of the .socket body 12 adjacent the movable arm 32 include recesses 34 and 36 `for receiving the vtapered end portions off the arm 32. in order to facilitate detent spring 38 is secured in a lbody cavity to project the upper portion into the recess 36. In positioning the corresponding end of the movable arm 32 the upper .portion of the detent spring 3S projecting into the recess 36 is displaced. p The resilient bias of the detent spring returns an undercut `section of its upper portion into 'a seat 40 formed in the end ot the arm 32. Thus the movable larm is in a Aclosed position.

An upper portion 42 of the detent vspring 3S which projects outside the body recess 36 permits manipulation of the spring against its resilient bias to pass the end of the movable arm 32 to open the side of the socket chamber 14.

An ejection spring 44 is mounted on a support provided by a lateral socket body extension 46. The ejection spring 44 is biased by the light tube upon closure of the movable aim 32 seating the end 1.6 of the light tube in the socket chamber 14. Upon release of the movable arm 32 through manipulation and displacement of the detent spring 38, the spring 44 provides positive ejectment of the light tube 18 from the socket chamber 14.

A pair of terminals 48 and 50 project through the socket body 12 and are secured therein for connecting supply leads to either the front or back of the socket body. Wiping contacts 2G and 22 include extensions 51 and 53 passing through slots in the bodyA 12 and connected to the respective terminals 48 and 50.

To facilitate assembly of the body and molding of the socket, the preferred socket body 12 includes two body sections 5-2 and S4 which are secured to one another by eyelets 56 and 58 passing through aligned openings in the sections.

In operation, the movable arm 32 may be released to open the side of the socket chamber by pressing against the inclined surface 42 of the detent spring 38. Force exerted against surface 42 displaces the detent spring against its resilient bias to displace it from the seat 40 in the movable arm 32. The movable armi 32' is then free to pivot about its hinge axis in the recess 34 for opening the lateral side of the socket chamber 14.

The terminal end of the light tube 18 may be laterally inserted in the socket chamber 14 through the opening provided byA displacement of movable arm 32, Return of the movable arm to its position in the side of the socket body positions the light tube to align its terminals 24 andl 26 withlwiping contacts 22 and 24;` r During positioning, the terminal end of the light tube'compresses the vejection spring -as the movable arm 32 seats under the de tent spring 38 to secure and support the light bulb in position.

i VIn the event the light bulb is to be replaced or removed for any other reason the movable arm is released by pressing against surface 42 of the detent spring 38 to displace the springand remove it from the seat 40 of the movable arm 32. Upon release of the movable arm 32, spring 44 ejects the light bulb from the socket chamber Y14. Thisfeature is particularly advantageous where the light tube and socket are-mounted in a lightV fixture having little or no access for gripping the light bulb when positioned in the electrical socket.

,in the end of the body accommodating the aforementioned prong type light tube terminals.

We claim:

l. An electrical socket for supporting and connecting a light tube having an end terminal located in each end of the tube and a side terminal located in the lateral side said body member, the

4 adjacent side portions of said trst and second body members having aligned holes therein, means extending through each of said holes in the adjacent side portions to secure said first and second body members together, an arm pivotally mounted between one of the adjacent side wall portions of said iirst and second body members -and being arranged to close the top of the chamber formed by said body members, a iirst wiping contact disposed adjacent the said end portion that extends acrossthebak of said U-shaped chamber of saidV first- Ybody 'member for engaging they en d terminal of the tube, a second wipingcontact disposed adjacent said second body member ufor engaging the side terminal of the tube, a pair of electrical terminals, each ofY said electrical terminals being, supported on oneof said rst and second body members, each of said wiping contacts including extensions connected to a respective terminal, said extension of said second wiping contact extending between said rst and second body members.

2. A socket as defined in claim l wherein said means for securing said tirst and second body members together comprises an eyelet extending through each of said holes Ain the adjacent side wall portion.

3. 'A socket as deiined in claim l wherein the end portion of said rst body member has a slot formed therein extending generally parallel to the side wall portions thereof to cooperate with said first wiping contact to substantially prevent lateral movement thereof and wherein said electrical terminals are supported on said rst body member and further including resilient detent means n mounted between the other adjacent side wall portions of the tube adjacent each end thereof, said socket corn- Y of'said rst andusecondbody members Afor releasably securing one end of said pivotally mountedl arm.

References Cited in the le of lthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,384,287 Drury Sept. 4, 1945 2,441,456 Thayery 'May 11, 1948 2,549,725 Uline et al. Apr. 17, 19'51 2,615,071 Schwartz et al Oct. 2l, 1952 .FOREIGN PATENTS 627,556` Great Britain Aug. 11, 

